travel update

We're still in Europe and haven't been kicked out yet.

Typing on a keyboard here is quite the experience. It took me about an hour to find the @ sign just to log in to my hotmail. I don't think anyone here needs to worry about my breaking into their computer systems and stealing vital secrets anytime soon.

We had an interesting trip from Amsterdam to Germany and a very precious apple pie made the journey with us.

More on that later.

We are near Köln (German name for Cologne but I wanted to use the ö with the dots over it to prove I'm really here).

Let me give you a few more symbols:

ß;I think it's a funky S.

ü; a different pronounciation of the letter u.

ä, I have no idea what the hell it is.

And the letters y and z are swapped on the keyboard (???!!!)

I really need to start learning German as I feel like the village idiot when everyone can converse in multiple languages but me, and no one wanted to talk in pig latin.

Anyway we've had a fabulous time so far (off to Switzerland tomorrow), including a visit with Hans' 87 year old cousin who told stories of her youth as a secretary with the German Secret Police, her capture, and short spell as a POW.

We visited the old family hotel complete with a castle that Hans has offered to buy back just for me, but I insist that he put the roof back on and get a couple of the fireplaces working. What's a few million dollars in remodeling if it will make me happy!!

We've had virtually no internet access here (so I can't read other blogs and acknowledge comments that have been left and I'm very sorry for that) and it won't get any better.

I'll be sure to catch up and post a few of the thousand pictures I've taken, when we get back.



I know you can hardly wait.